Flashlight

ABSTRACT

Pocket battery-operated flashlight comprises casing and lens mounting unit longitudinally slidable and rotatable in said casing, together with means for latching the unit in an inner lighted position and a second unlit position.

United States Patent 1 [111 I 3,717,759

Rousseau [4 1 Feb. 20, 1973 [54] FLASHLIGHT 2,483,665 /1949 Phillips..240/l0.68 2,797,309 6/1957 Dulberg ..240/l0.68 [76] Inventor:Jean-Pierre Rousseau, 4 Andersen Jone de Sena", 9] Drave, 2,912,56711/1959 Dulberg ..240/10.68 France FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22]Filed: April 21,1971 604,807 7/1948 Great Britain ..240/l0.68 pp No.:136,131 645,049 10/1950 Great Brltaln ..240/l0.68

, Primary Examiner-Louis R. Prince Foreign Application Priority DataAssistant Examiner-Joseph W. Roskos April 27, 1970 France..'.........70l5346 l Br'sebo's 52 us. Cl. ..240/l0.66, 200/60, 240/1068[57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..F2ll5/00,F21l 15/00 Pocketbattery-operated flashlight comprises casing [58] Field of Search ..240/10.66, and lens mounting unit longitudinally slidable and 10.68,200/60,167 A, 200/169 PB rotatable in said casing, together with meansforlatching the unit in an inner lighted position and a I second unlitposition. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 7Drawing Figures 1,778,039 10 !930 Roggc 240/1066 5 36\\\&\\\ 1\A\\\\\\\\T 2 4 I, J/AV/IY/ I Y I! 3 f i f 41 I \K\\ 7\K\ "PATENTEUFEBZOW3,117,159. SHEET em 2- FLASHLIGHT SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to battery operated flashlights. Flashlightsordinarily comprise a casing, frequently made in several parts, and atransparent lens,- and usually include a number of other components suchas the switch, contacts, and electrical conductors. However, simplifiedflashlights are known which are directly lit by pushing on the lens toforce it axially into the casing. The light is then extinguished bylateral pressure which permits the lens to return to its initialposition.

The object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight which isalso lighted by pushing in the lens, but is extinguished by a secondpressure against the same lens, and which is unusually simple inconstructron.

The invention consists in providing for the lens to be retained at twodifferent depressed positions in the casing and providing the lensmountwith a flexible lateral flap which terminates in a tongue havingpreferably a lozenge of diagonal shape, with two sharp edges on theoutside, and two blunt edges on the inside. A recess is provided in theinner surface of the casing which has a particular shape defining a setof ramps on three levels for first catching and then releasing thetongue of the flap.

The flashlight also comprises resilient means biassing the bulb in thelens, and the lens itself, outwardly of the casing, while providingelectric current for the bulb in the most depressed position of the lensand cutting off the current in the other position.

In order that the object of the invention be better understood, oneembodiment thereof will now be described, purely by way of illustrationand example,

with reference to the accompanying drawings on which:

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the flashlight;

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view through the flashlight;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective exploded view showing the retainingmeans;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are partial sectional views on a larger scaleshowing the retaining means in its various stages of operation.

The flashlight shown in the drawings comprises a casing 1 which iselongated and substantially cylindrical. This casin'g has a closedbottom 2 at one end, and the other end is closed by a lens unit 3 madeof a molded transparent material, and comprising lens proper 4 at thefront end together with a cylindrical wall 5 constituting the sides.This lens unit is adapted to slide longitudinally and turn in the casingl. A flexible tongue 6 molded integrally with the unit 3 and ending in afinger 7 having the shape shownon FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 projects from thiswall. This finger has, when seen from above, the shape of a lozenge or ahexagon with the front two sharp edges 8 converging toward an edge 9perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 4 and two converging chamfers 10 atits rear end forming an oblique angle with the top of the finger.

This finger 7 cooperates with a recess in the inner wall of the casing,which is preferably made of a molded plastic material. The recess isformed by stepped surfaces on three cylindrical levels, one of theselevels being constituted by the inner bore 11 of the casing 1, whereasthe deepest level 12 forms the bottom of the recess and the intermediatesurface 13 forms a ramp between the two previously mentioned levels. Thefront end of the recess 12 is defined by an assymetric V-shaped edgehaving the two sides 14 and 15 and, near the middle of the recess, thelevel 11 defines an inwardly directed projection 16 limited at its rearend by another assymetric V-shaped surface formed by the two sides 17and 18 embracing the ramp 13, and limited at the front by an irregularline formed by the three sides 19, 20 and 21. Along its sides the recessis limited by three straight sides 22, 23 and 24. Finally, the rear partof the recess is limited by a surface 25 of any suitable shape, whichmay be straight.

The lens unit is constantly biassed with respect to the casing in thedirection of the arrow-26 by means of a resilient device which will behereinafter described, and the casing 1 comprises an internal stopconsisting, for example, of the end 27 of an inner ridge 28 which theinner edge 29 of the lens unit 3 strikes at the end of its path oftravel.

When the lens unit occupies its outermost position, as shown in FIG. 4,its finger 7 is centered in the bottom of the V-shaped notch fon'ned bythe sides 14 and 15. If it is then moved in the direction opposite tothat indicated by the arrow 26 until the edge 29 encounters the part 27of the ridge, the chamfers l0 permit the finger 7 to pass by theprojection 16 while flexing the tongue 6. Then this tongue 6 falls intothe position shown in FIG. 5, once the edge 17 has been passed, andcomes to rest on the ramp 13 at the intermediate level. This is trueeven if the lens unit is rotated slightly in one direction 'or the otherduring this movement. In effect, the edge 9 is substantially in themiddle of the ramp 13 which makes it possible for it to pass over theedge 17 but not the other edge 30 of the ramp 13 with a certain lateraltolerance, the edge 23 being for this purpose spaced to the left of FIG.5 with respect to the edge 22.

When the pressure against the lens unit is relaxed, it comes out againin response to the force exerted by the resilient means and its edge 9slides along the ramp 17 until it comes to rest caught in the V-shapednotch formed by the sides 17 and 18. It then stops in its rearmostlatched position shown on FIG. 6. In the course of this return the lensunit has thus rotated slightly about its axis.

If pressure is again exerted on the lens unit 3 axial movement thereofagain results until it strikes the stop 27 but, due to the precedingrotation, the edge 9 and the corresponding edge 8 at this time escapesthe edge 30 and the finger 7 then falls to the level 12 so that, whenthe manual pressure is released, the front edge 9 of the finger 7 slidesalong the edge 30, which permits it to escape the projection 16 byfollowing the path shown in broken lineson FIG. 7. At the end of itspath of travel this finger slides along the edge 15 and returns to itsinitial position.

To resiliently return the lens unit 3 to its forward position andconduct the current to the bulb, the arrangement shown on FIG. 2 may beused. This comprises a conductive strip 31 in the form of a yoke placedaround the battery 32 and provided at its end with hooks 33, inside ofwhich the first coil of a conical spring 34 is caught. The smaller endof this spring screws onto the base 35 of the bulb 36, leaving thecentral contact 37 thereof at a certain distance from the centralcontact 38 of the battery. A spring 39 between the bottom of the batteryand the bottom of the yoke 31 urges the. battery 32 against the hooks33. Another spring 40 in alignment with the spring 39 bears against thebottom of the casing 1 and permits resilient depression of the yokeassembly.

When at rest, all the components are in the position shown in FIG. 2.When the lens unit 3 is depressed the contact 37 comes into contact withthe terminal 39 so that the bulb is lighted. Then, during the portion ofthe path of travel of the unit 3 which brings it into abutment againstthe end 27 of the ridge 28 the spring 40 compresses, as does possiblythe spring 39, so as to subsequently expand when the unit returns to itsrearmost latched position shown on FIG. 6. In this position, the spring40, which is stronger then the spring 34, holds the battery in contactwith the bulb which therefore remains lighted. When it is desired toextinguish the bulb its suffices to again press the unit 3 to return itto its initial position as has been seen, which position corresponds tothe extinguished position of the bulb.

The resilient inner means which has just been described may naturally bemade in several different ways. In particular, when batteries are usedwhich have a zinc casing which projects at the end carrying the terminal38, the largest turn of the spring 34 may be directly mounted on thisprojecting edge, thus eliminating the yoke 31 as well as the spring 39.In another embodiment the spring 34 may be eliminated and the yoke 31replaced by a simple bent strip, the front end of which occupies theposition of the hooks 33 caught over the edge of the battery. Thecontact 37 is then constantly in contact with the terminal 38 and thedepression of the unit 3 simultaneously moves both the bulb and thebattery by compressing the spring 39, which is longer than in theillustrated embodiment, until the front end of the strip encounters thebase of the bulb, after which the spring 40 is in turn compressed as inthe previous example.

All these embodiment, as well as others, not indicated have the commoncharacteristic that they are provided with resilient means to absorb themovement of the unit 3 from the front latched position to the rearlatched position as well as the additional movement which brings theunit into abutment with the stop 27 and, on the other hand, that theyclose the electric circuit to the bulb in its rear latched position andinterrupt it when the unit is in the front latched position.

.In order to prevent the flashlight from becoming inadvertently lightedin the pocket or in the package in which it is transported, the frontedge 41 of the casing is preferably inclined, as shown in particular onFIGS. 1, 2, and 3, which permits it to be manually depressed, but doesnot permit it to be depressed by striking a surface perpendicular to itsaxis.

This flashlight is exceedingly inexpensive to manufacture because, apartfrom the battery and the bulb, it comprises only the two molded parts 1and 3, one or two springs and a yoke or a strip. Moreover, in certaincases some of these may be eliminated, as has been seen. On the otherhand, the lamp is extremely easy to put together because it suffices tointroduce battery 32 with its yoke, springs and bulb into the casing andthen mount the lens unit 3 and manually depress it until the finger 7snaps into the recess 12. When the spring 34 is eliminated, the bulb 35is simply introduced into the lens unit before it is placed in position.In order to take it apart, so as to change the battery 32 or the bulb36, it suffices to depress the latch unit 3 partially until the finger 7passes over the projection 16, and then turn the lens unit 3 in thecounterclockwise direction so that the finger 7 continues to slide onthe level 11 and escapes at the left side of FIGS. 4 and 7, after which,on releasing this unit, the springs expand and force it out of thecasing.

It will of course be appreciated that the device which has beendescribed has been given purely by way of example, and' may be modifiedas to detail without thereby departing from the basic principles of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a battery-operated flashlight comprising an elongated casinghaving an open end, a lens unit made of a transparent material, andresilient means for biassing said lens unit toward said open end, theimprovement according to which said lens unit is adapted to be latchedin either of two different latched positions within said casing, in thelongitudinally innermost of which a bulb within said unit is lit an inthe longitudinally outermost of which said bulb is extinguished,

said flashlight comprising a flexible tongue attached to the lateralwall of the lens unit and terminating in a finger which projectsradially outward, the longitudinally outermost end of said finger beingdefined by two intersecting radial edges and the longitudinallyinnermost end of said finger being defined by gently sloping edges, saidfinger being positioned to project radially into a recess in the innersurface of the casing,

said recess having radial edges which define first and second V-shapedassymmetric notches spaced both longitudinally and circumferentially ofsaid casing, the first of said notches being locatedto engage saidfinger to retain said lens in said innermost latched position and thesecond to engage said finger to retain said lens unit in said outermostlatched position,

the bottom of said recess comprising a radially outermost surfaceadjacent said second notch and an intermediate surface at a levelintermediate that of said outermost surface and the innermost surface ofsaid casing and adjacent said first notch,

said intermediate surface being separated from each of the othersurfaces by an edge positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis ofsaid lens member, and

stop means positioned to terminate longitudinally inward movement ofsaid lens unit from said outermost position with said finger on saidintermediate surface, whereby said finger is urged by said resilientmeans along said intermediate surface and one of said angularlypositioned edges into said first notch when longitudinally inwardpressure on said lens member is released, thus rotating said lensmember, but when said lens member has been moved longitudinally inwardfrom its innermost latched position, said finger is brought into contactwith said radially outermost surface and then urged by said resilientmeans along the other of said angularly positioned edges toward a pathleading to said second V-shaped notch.

2. Flashlight as claimed in claim 1 characterized by the fact that thefinger is molded in one piece with the lens unit and connected theretoby said flexible tongue.

3. Flashlight as claimed in claim 1 in which the casing at the lens endterminates in a surface which is inclined with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the flashlight.

4. Flashlight as claimed in claim 1 in which the resilient meanscomprises a mounting for a bulb in the form of a yoke embracing thebottom end of the battery and terminating in two hooks at the end ofsaid battery carrying its central terminal, a spring being positionedwith one part between the bottom of the yoke and the bottom of thebattery and another part between the bottom of the yoke and the closedbottom of the casing, while another spring has one end hooked in the twohooks of the yoke and the other end screwed onto the base of the bulb.

5. Pocket flashlight as claimed in claim 1 for use with batteries havingzinc casing which is uninsulated at the end carrying the centralterminal, characterized by the fact that the resilient mountingcomprises a spring positioned between the flat bottom of the battery andthe t bottom of the casing and another spring mounted on the conductiveend of the casing of the battery and screwed onto the base of the bulb.

6. Pocket flashlight according to claim 1 in which said resilient meanscomprises a mounting for a battery and bulb including a bent strip atthe bottom which is terminated at the top by a hook, said bulb beingsimply positioned inside the lens unit with its central contact incontact with the central terminal of the battery and a springbeing'positioned with part between the rear part of the strip and theflat bottom of the battery and another part between the same rear partand the closed bottom of the casing, the first part being sufficientlylong to permit the hook to encounter the base of the bulb.

1. In a battery-operated flashlight comprising an elongated casinghaving an open end, a lens unit made of a transparent material, andresilient means for biassing said lens unit towaRd said open end, theimprovement according to which said lens unit is adapted to be latchedin either of two different latched positions within said casing, in thelongitudinally innermost of which a bulb within said unit is lit an inthe longitudinally outermost of which said bulb is extinguished, saidflashlight comprising a flexible tongue attached to the lateral wall ofthe lens unit and terminating in a finger which projects radiallyoutward, the longitudinally outermost end of said finger being definedby two intersecting radial edges and the longitudinally innermost end ofsaid finger being defined by gently sloping edges, said finger beingpositioned to project radially into a recess in the inner surface of thecasing, said recess having radial edges which define first and secondV-shaped assymmetric notches spaced both longitudinally andcircumferentially of said casing, the first of said notches beinglocated to engage said finger to retain said lens in said innermostlatched position and the second to engage said finger to retain saidlens unit in said outermost latched position, the bottom of said recesscomprising a radially outermost surface adjacent said second notch andan intermediate surface at a level intermediate that of said outermostsurface and the innermost surface of said casing and adjacent said firstnotch, said intermediate surface being separated from each of the othersurfaces by an edge positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis ofsaid lens member, and stop means positioned to terminate longitudinallyinward movement of said lens unit from said outermost position with saidfinger on said intermediate surface, whereby said finger is urged bysaid resilient means along said intermediate surface and one of saidangularly positioned edges into said first notch when longitudinallyinward pressure on said lens member is released, thus rotating said lensmember, but when said lens member has been moved longitudinally inwardfrom its innermost latched position, said finger is brought into contactwith said radially outermost surface and then urged by said resilientmeans along the other of said angularly positioned edges toward a pathleading to said second V-shaped notch.
 1. In a battery-operatedflashlight comprising an elongated casing having an open end, a lensunit made of a transparent material, and resilient means for biassingsaid lens unit towaRd said open end, the improvement according to whichsaid lens unit is adapted to be latched in either of two differentlatched positions within said casing, in the longitudinally innermost ofwhich a bulb within said unit is lit an in the longitudinally outermostof which said bulb is extinguished, said flashlight comprising aflexible tongue attached to the lateral wall of the lens unit andterminating in a finger which projects radially outward, thelongitudinally outermost end of said finger being defined by twointersecting radial edges and the longitudinally innermost end of saidfinger being defined by gently sloping edges, said finger beingpositioned to project radially into a recess in the inner surface of thecasing, said recess having radial edges which define first and secondVshaped assymmetric notches spaced both longitudinally andcircumferentially of said casing, the first of said notches beinglocated to engage said finger to retain said lens in said innermostlatched position and the second to engage said finger to retain saidlens unit in said outermost latched position, the bottom of said recesscomprising a radially outermost surface adjacent said second notch andan intermediate surface at a level intermediate that of said outermostsurface and the innermost surface of said casing and adjacent said firstnotch, said intermediate surface being separated from each of the othersurfaces by an edge positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis ofsaid lens member, and stop means positioned to terminate longitudinallyinward movement of said lens unit from said outermost position with saidfinger on said intermediate surface, whereby said finger is urged bysaid resilient means along said intermediate surface and one of saidangularly positioned edges into said first notch when longitudinallyinward pressure on said lens member is released, thus rotating said lensmember, but when said lens member has been moved longitudinally inwardfrom its innermost latched position, said finger is brought into contactwith said radially outermost surface and then urged by said resilientmeans along the other of said angularly positioned edges toward a pathleading to said second V-shaped notch.
 2. Flashlight as claimed in claim1 characterized by the fact that the finger is molded in one piece withthe lens unit and connected thereto by said flexible tongue. 3.Flashlight as claimed in claim 1 in which the casing at the lens endterminates in a surface which is inclined with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the flashlight.
 4. Flashlight as claimed in claim 1in which the resilient means comprises a mounting for a bulb in the formof a yoke embracing the bottom end of the battery and terminating in twohooks at the end of said battery carrying its central terminal, a springbeing positioned with one part between the bottom of the yoke and thebottom of the battery and another part between the bottom of the yokeand the closed bottom of the casing, while another spring has one endhooked in the two hooks of the yoke and the other end screwed onto thebase of the bulb.
 5. Pocket flashlight as claimed in claim 1 for usewith batteries having zinc casing which is uninsulated at the endcarrying the central terminal, characterized by the fact that theresilient mounting comprises a spring positioned between the flat bottomof the battery and the bottom of the casing and another spring mountedon the conductive end of the casing of the battery and screwed onto thebase of the bulb.